Whether it’s what songs you would like played, what colours you would like guests to wear, or what food and drink you would like served, sharing your wishes with your loved ones now can help ease the stress on them at a difficult time in the future.

It may even help you to relax and concentrate on enjoying life now.

But according to the latest research from SunLife, just one per cent of people planning a loved one’s funeral knew all of their wishes, and 22% knew none of them.

Four in 10 didn’t know if their loved one wanted to be buried or cremated and 74% didn’t know what readings and music to have.

Recent studies show that funeral costs in the UK have soared by 10 times the increase in the cost of living in the space of a year, forcing some families to cut corners on their loved one’s final farewell.

Seeing the Northern Lights tops the over-50s wish list (Image: Getty)

And surveys also reveal that 40% of people organising a funeral said the arrangements cost more than they ever expected, with more than a third (38%) of those saying it cost “a lot more” than they planned.

Industry experts said that thinking ahead about funerals was essential for those nearing retirement, and often this left families feeling much happier once an agreed plan was in place.

That will give you more time for ticking off the items on your personal bucket list, whether it’s taking a cruise through the Med, watching your children get married or even breaking a world record.

Travelling abroad dominates the top 10 must-do things

We all have things that we dream of one day achieving - just like reader Kevin Jarvis, 50, above, who this week achieved his dream of completing a sky dive, proving life is about living in your fifties rather than preparing to die!

He said: "Skydiving has been near the top of my bucket list for a while. Now that my daughter is a lot older, now I have the time to do the stuff that I've always want to do!"

Nearly two-fifths (38%) of those aged over 55 say they would like to see the Northern Lights, above, in their lifetime, making it top of the wish list, while over a fifth (22%) say they want to go on a cruise.

Around 12% of Glastonbury tickets are purchased by the over-50s (Image: Getty)

Going abroad dominates the wishes of most over-55s, accounting for seven of the Top 10 most popular activities. About 28% dream of making a journey on the Orient Express.

Other popular foreign adventures include visiting one or all of the Seven Wonders of the World (18%), while 13% have set their sights on driving along Route 66 in the US.

Meanwhile, more than one in 10 retired people told a recent poll that going to a music festival is on their bucket list. And around 12% of tickets to Glastonbury are snapped up by the over-50s.